Improved tobacco-press



manner substantially as specified.

TH oMAs N. READ, or nANvILLn, VIRGINIA-Q c Letters Patent No. 70,900, datedlVoveniber 12, 1867. I i

IMPROVED TOBACCO-PRESS.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, T. N. READ, of Danville, in the county o f Pittsylvania, and State of Virginia,'l1ave invented a new and improved Tobacco-Press; and I dol hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art. to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification. l

This invention relates to an improved tobacco-press. It consists of a box of iron or other suitable material, in which are twofalse sides or. plates, movable within the .box-frame, in the direction of a line at right-angles to their planes. These false sides serve to clamp the pressing-box, and hold it-securely by means of twoscrews operated by cranks bearing in the walls of the box-frame. The toe of a screwwhich works in a hinged `crosshead sets into a socket made for it in the centre of apresser-plate or follower, which fits into the pressing-box. A sleeve, divided into two equal portions, each provided with an internal rim, lits over the socket onr the follower and toe of the screw, holding the latter to the follower, but allowing the screw and follower to turn independently'oi' eachother. A band or tire passes over the sleeve, and holds the two portions thereof together. In

the accompanying drawings- Figure lis a top view, partly in section, of my improved tobacco-presentati Figure 2 i s a vertical/section thereof at line x :e of iig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. Y

A A is a box or shrouding of iron or other suitable'v material, having two false sides A A, adjustable v by means of the clamping-screws a a, or-by cams, or other equivalent means, so -as vto clamp the presser-box B inserted in box A,and preventing thej sides from bursting when the tobacco is pressed. C is a hinged crosshead to the iron box or shroudiing A, hinged at e,`and setting intothe bearing D, having a stop at d, to prevent the cross-head from going too'far. Through cross-head C the screw E passes, itstoe e setting into the receptacle f on follower F. By the'hinged arrangement of cross-head C, the screw E and follower F can be swung out and away from box B, enabling it to be'lled or emptied without moving it from-shrouding-boxA. Fitting round the socket and over the toe e is' the L-sliaped truncated conical body G G, formedin'two equal parts, having a rim, g, tting into a groove on the outer circumference of thesocketf, and held together by a band or tire, H, surrounding said body G G. By this arrangement the screw E and follower F are held together, each being at the same time free to turn -ivithout the other. v Beneath the toe e arevtwo washers, z', the larger being above and the smaller below, whereby, the larger, turning on the smaller, the friction and wear on the toe'e are sensibly diminished. K K are stops placed on the follower F, preventing the follower from being turned with the screw when drawn up out of the friction-box B.

Among the advantages possessed by my improved tobacco-press over those now in use, thefollowingI may be enumerated: It is cheaper, both in original cost of construction and in maintenance; itis operated'in less time, and is far more durable'. The operator being enabled td fill and empty the box by revolving the cross-head screw and follower.without'releasing the presser-box from the shroudiug-box, saves much time, and avoids much wear and tear. The lifting of heavy bands and blocks, as required in ordinary presses, is dispensed with. It is more compact, and needs less space in which tovbe operate i It is obvious that, although designed for use as a tobacco-press, my pressmay be"applied to press other substances and materials.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The shroudng-box A, provided with false sides A' A, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The hinged cross-head C, when combined with the screw .E, as and for, the purposes and operating in 3. The truncated conical body G G,lin combinationgwith socket f, toe e, and band H, substantially as and for the purposes above set forth and described. i

The above specification of my invention signed by me thisy 10th day of September,'1867.

' THOS. N. READ.

Witnesses:

E. E. BoULDIN,

P. BOULDIN. 

